Track-switch-tripping mechanism



J. P. SKARTCHSEARIS.

TRACK SWITCH TRIPP ING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1921. RENEWED AUG. 14. 1922.

1 ,430,4=12. PatentedSept. 26, 1922.

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J. P. SKARTC HSEARIS.

TRACK SWITCH TRIPPING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILEDMAY 13. 1921. RENEWED AUG. 14.1922.

"1,430,412 Patentedsept. 26, 1922.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2'.

Patented Sept. 26, T1922.

at as ear insane air TBACK-SWITCI-I-TRIPPING- MECHANISM.

Application filed May 13, 1921, Serial No. 469,282. Renewed August 14, 1922. Serial No. 581,840.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, James P. SKARTGHF SEARIS, a subject of the King of Greece, residing at Jamestown, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Track-Switch-Tripping Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in trip mechanisms for track switches in general, and more particularly to that type of switch: actuating mechanism adapted to be mounted on the front portion of a locomotive, or other similar motor car, such as disclosed in my copending application, Serial Number 469,281, filed May 13, 1921, and in my Patent Number 1,371,937, dated March 15, 1921.

The primary object of the invention resides in the construction of a trip mechanism to be carried by and at the front of a train whereby a left or right hand trip may be actuated to open or close a switch to permit thetrain to pass in its proper direction.

Another and very important object of the invention resides in the provision of a trip operating mechanism of the type above set forth for pneumatically or mechanically actuating a trip bar whereby the left or right hand trip situated outside of the track rails may be operated to open or close the switch.

Another and equally important object of the invention resides in the construction of a switch operating mechanism which will I which will be suggested and manifest as the purpose and nature of my invention is revealed in the following specification and g tion rollers '23 which are removably and drawing, 1

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation showing the improved trip'mechanism as applied to the forward end of aflocomotive for the operation of a switch,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view showing the slidable tripbar and the pneumatic means for operating the trip in'reversed directions transversely of the locomotive,

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of one end of the trip bar, partlyv in section, showing one of the trip rollers carried thereby,

Fig. 4- is a detail view, partly in section, of the roller mounting, a

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front elevation of a locomotive showing a modified form of the invention as'applied thereto,

Fig. 6 is a side elevation ofone of guides for the roller trip devices,

Fig. is a vertical section showing the roller supporting members, and,

' Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 5.

Referring now ,to the drawings, wherein.

the v like characters of referencedesignate corresponding parts throughout the specification, the numerals 5 and 6'indicate the main track rails, and 7 and8 the trip levers mounted on supports 9 and 10' secured on the opposite ends of the tie 11, and outside of the main track rails 5 and 6, the trip lever being adapted, when operated by a passing train, to actuate pull rods 12 leading to the switch as disclosed in my copending application hereinbefore referred to.

The trip lever operating mechanism,

which is mounted on the front portion of the engine 13, consists primarily of a transversely movable bar adapted to be pneumatically operated. to the left or right to actuate the trip levers 7 and Sin the manner to be described in detail. I

The trip bar 14:, which is provided with rack teeth 15 throughout a portion of'its length and intermediate or its ends, is adapted for transverse movement, being supported by angular brackets 16 and guided by a member 17 whereby its true horizontal position maybe maintained at all times and thus positively operate the trip levers 7 and 8, asisv well understood.

The ends of the bar 14: are purposely provided with integral downwardly extending arms 18 and 19 which support the boxings 20 which receive the spindles 22 of the fricpinion 26 supported by the spindle 27 rotatably mounted injthe bracket guide 28, 29, the upper terminal of said/ spindle 27 being connected to an arm 30 operable either by compressed air or steam. The opposite end of the arm 30 is provided with a slot 31 which affords a loose connection with the ends of a piston rod 32 extending within a cylinder 33. The air'conduits 34C, 35 connected to the opposite ends of the cylinder 33 are controlled by a valve 36 located with the cab of the locomotive, whereby the piston rod 32 may actuate the arm 30 and the spindle and rack pinion carried thereby to the left or right and thus operate the bar 14 accordingly. As the respective rollers 23 are moved into engagement with the trip levers 7 and 8, the switch will, of course, be actuated to open or closed position as desired. It will be readily seen that the operation of the trip mechanism is preferably automatic, being controlled by the valve 36 to operate th bar 14 to the left orright with facility and ease.

Referring now to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive, a modified form of trip mechanism is provided, and the same is operable from a point within the cab of an engine, whereby the trip devices or rock shafts mounted on the track, such as is shown in my patent above identilied, may be selectively operated when desired or necessary to effect a change in the position of the points of a track switch.

In this construction, rock shafts 40 are disposed transversely of the track, and are 'ournalled in the webs of the rails, and have ent ends portions or arms l6 extending into the path of the trip devices carried on a locomotive at points outwardly of the rails, and outwardly of guide members associated with each of the rails. The lower flange 47 of each of said guides is secured beneath the base flanges of the rail and have their vertically extending portions 45 terminating in a wide flange 48 angularly disposed outside of and above the top of the adjacent rail, the last mentioned flange being adapted to guide one of a pair of trip rollers to be hereinafter referred to. Suspended from and carried by the body 49 of an engine cab (not shown), and equally spaced inwardly from the-opposite sides thereof, are tubular members 51 supporting a transverse cross beam 52, which is provided with apertures 53 therein in alignment with the bore of the tubular members 51. A slidable collar 54 in each of the said tubular members 51, is

provided with a transverse pin 55 supporting the roll carrying rod 56 which depends downwardly of the members 51 and through the apertures 53 of the beam 52, the said rod carrying a pair of rollers 57, 58, at its lower end, which rollers are adapted to be projected downwardly of the cab body, one

. aim engagement with the flange 48 of one of the roller guides, and the other to strike and actuate the bent arm 46 of the rock shaft.

A pair of links 59 are connected to the opposite ends of the pins 55 extending transversely through the tubularmembers 51,'the said pins 55 being slidably carried by the collars 54 and have their opposite ends projecting outwardly of vertically elongated slots 60 formed diametrically of the said members 51. The rods 56, on the upper end of which the collars 5d are secured by means of the pins 55, are normally sustained up wardly of the tubular members 51 by means of coiled springs 61 being interposed between the collars 5st and the lower end walls of the said members 51. The links 59, above referred to, are pivotally connected, by means of pivot pins 63, through the laterally extending arms 62, which are, in turn, pivotally connected at their inner ends, by means of pivot pins 6 1 to a stationary bearing 65, said bearing 65 being rigidly secured in position intermediately of the opposite ends of the cross beam 52. Each of the arms 62 are provided with friction rollers 66 sup ported by pins 67 on raised extensions or bearings 68 at points substantially intermediate the ends of the said bearing arms. An upwardly extended lever 69 is passed. through a slot 70, formed in the body 4:9, and projected into the cab proper of the locomotive, and provided with a right angled arm 71 which is adapted to be rocked into engagement with the friction roller 66 correspondingly for the depressing of either of the said bearing arms 62, at the right or left hand side of the locomotive, as is shown by dotted lines on Fig. 5,.

The lever 69 is provided with a pin 69 cooperating with the raised projection of a rocking member 76% the said lever being adapted to rotate on said rocking member so as to dispose the arm 71 into engagement with the levers 62. The rocking member is pivotally mounted on the central shaft 72 of the bearing and is provided with a detent 7 3 and spring 7a which ride over a groove or notch whereby the arm 69 is releasable for rocking movement to the left or right and thus permits the said arm 71 to engage the rollers 66 and consequently force one of the sets of rollers into the path of the bent arms 46 of the rock shaft (see Fig. 8 of the drawing).

From the above description, taken in connection with the drawings, it will be seen that I have provided for a very positive and practical switch operating mechanism which may be actuated either manually, pneumatically, or by any other suitable power means, whereby a right or left hand trip may be actuated to open or close a track switch as may be desired or necessary. A switch op erating mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention, is particularly well adapted for its various uses, as stated for the same, on the old style as well as on the new style or types of track switches by reason of the ease and facility with which it may be assembled, installed and operated, and it will be obvious that my invention is adaptable for various changes and modifications in thevdetails of construction and arrangement of the parts thereof, without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, or from the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having shown and described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the U. S. is

1. A trip operating mechanism of the class described, in combination with a railway car, comprising a trip engaging member carried by the car for movement to the left or right whereby a selective trip lever positioned outside of the track rails may be actuated, and pneumatic means extending within the car proper for operating said trip engaging member to its operative position.

2. A trip operating mechanism of the class described, in combination with a railway car, comprising a horizontally movable trip operating bar supported for movement to opposite sides of a track, and pneumatic means for actuating said bar to the left or right to its engaging operative position.

3. A trip operating mechanism of the class described, in combination with a railway car, comprising a horizontally movable rack bar, the ends of said bar being adapted for movement to a position outside the rails of the track to engage a trip, and pneumatic means for actuating said bar to its engaging operative position.

4. A trip operating mechanism of the class described, in combination with a railway car comprising a horizontally movable trip operating bar supported for movement to opposite sides of a track, rollers carried by the respective ends of said bar, and pneumatic means for actuating said bar to bring the rollers into engaging operative position outside the track rails.

5. A trip operating mechanism of the class described, comprising a horizontally movable trip operating bar supported for 1novement to opposite sides of a track, depending supporting arms at the ends of the trip operating bar, removable, spring retained rollers carried by the supporting arms, and pneumatic means for actuating said bar to bring the rollers into engaging operative position outside the track rails.

6. A trip operating mechanism of the class described, in combination with a railway car, comprising a horizontally movable rack bar, brackets for supporting and guiding said bar, rollers supported by the respective ends of said bar and adapted for movement to a position outside of the track rails, a

rack pinion for operating said movable rack bar, and pneumatic means to rotate said pinion to the left or right and actuate said bar.

7. A trip operating mechanism of the class described, in combination with a railway car, comprising a horizontally movable rack bar, brackets for supporting and guiding said bar, rollers supported by the respective ends of said bar and adapted for movement to a position outside of the track rails, a rack pinion for operating said movable rack bar, a rotatable spindle and arm connected thereto for rotating said pinion, and pneumatic operating means for actuating said arm whereby the rack bar is moved to its operative, engaged position to either side of the track.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature hereto.

J Al/IES P. SKARTGI-ISEARIS. 

